Short synopsis: Gretchen is a fake medium mostly conning people out of money, until a client asks her to get rid of a ghost on a goat farm.

My thoughts: After reading and really loving Mrs Nash’s Ashes last year i was so excited for Adler’s next novel. This one didnt have quite the same punch as the first but definitely was still enjoyable for the most part.

There was a lot of unexpected character growth. I really liked watching Gretchen let down her walls and open up her past with the reader and with Charlie. Charlie was such a grump, and it took a lot for him to trust Gretchen, which took like the entire book (a little too long in my opinion). Everett was a great (although highly inappropriate) comedic relief.

I’m very curious what snuggling baby goats would be like. Guarantee it’s nothing like snuggling puppies.

Read if you love:
- Funny/inappropriate ghosts
- Farm life and farmers markets
- Baby goats
- Grumpy sunshine
- Character growth

4.5/5

Sarah Adler is one of the best when it comes to crafting incredibly unique yet enticing storylines. Happy Medium is a story about a "bullshit artist," a farmer, a family curse, and a lovable ghost. but it's so much more than that, too. It's a story about loneliness and loss and learning to let people in even after ever fiber of your being tells you not to.

While I think the story started a bit slow—it took me getting about a quarter of the way into it before the story truly began—when it did pick up, I couldn't put it down. The characters have so many layers. Everett is funny, playful, and sweet. He made me laugh and provided levity when the story needed it. Gretchen is clever and strong. She handled adversity and the task at hand much better than I ever would have. Charlie is so kind-hearted. He always saw the best in people even when he easily could have let them go. All three of their interactions were so real and comforting yet also heart-breaking.

Adler showed with Mrs. Nash's Ashes that she can write a unique story filled with strong, multi-layered characters. She added more proof with Happy Medium. And that last-minute twist at the end! I can say for a fact that I didn't see it coming!

Sarah Adler’s Happy Medium is one of the more unique romance books you’ll read this year! In Hapy Medium, a clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property's resident real-life ghost if she's to save them all from a fate worse than death.

Hot men! Farms! Con artists! Fake mediums! Ghosts! That is a combination of themes I bet you didn’t see coming together in one book, but this entertaining romance manages to get it all into a cohesive story. The book centers around Gretchen Acorn, who is a self-proclaimed fake medium and honestly a complete fraud. It’s not entirely her fault, she is the daughter of a conman, after all.

Gretchen and her father aren’t speaking since she confronted him about their relationship and he threw a few distasteful comments her way. Gretchen may have followed in her father’s footsteps when it comes to conning people, but she has a code of ethics. No hurting clients who are already grieving their loss. Gretchen doesn’t see her work as conning them, she sees it as helping them to find peace so they can move on with their lives. Gretchen may not be able to hear spirits, but she can make a go at faking the words if it means helping a (paying) client.

Gretchen is profiting off of the pain of others, but she isn’t exactly flush with cash. When her wealthiest client offers a large sum of money if she can help with an exorcism on a farm in Gilded Creek, she feels like she has struck gold. Her client tells her that her friend is in his seventies, but hasn’t been able to sell his farm because, well…it’s haunted. All Gretchen needs to do is head to the farm, pretend to “exorcise” the ghost, and collect her fee.

Of course, this is a romance book so we can all guess what Gretchen definitely did not guess (but does anyone know they are in a romance book when it starts?)—the owner of the property sent his hot and charming grandson to meet her. Charlie Waybill clocks Gretchen from a mile away. He doesn’t respect anything about her, and threatens to call the cops when she says she’s going to perform an exorcism.

The tricky thing is, there actually is a ghost on the farm who has been trapped there for nearly 100 years—Everett Waybill. And what’s more, Gretchen can see him. Everett has no intention of letting Charlie sell the farm—he says it will put the same curse on him that it did to Everett, and ultimately kill him. The curse has plagued their family for generations. Everett needs Gretchen’s help convincing Charlie not to sell the farm.

I think it was clear that Gretchen is going to have a tough time convincing Charlie of anything, other than that he doesn’t like her and thinks she’s a fraud. But Gretchen actually feels compelled to help him be saved from this curse, if only she can figure out a way. Let’s not forget that this book takes place on a farm, so Charlie happily puts her to work while Gretchen tries to formulate a strategy. And of course… she is crazy attracted to him.

This book has a lot of levity and jokes to it. I actually heard someone in my book club say it reminded them of the humor in the tv series Ghosts, and actually I think that is a spot-on description. I found this to be entertaining and a fun story. Romance can get old, but the ghost element of this was something new. And in a refreshing spin, Everett is the best character in the story. He’s funny, as is his relationship with Gretchen.

The love story is a mash up for forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and opposites attract. Charlie and Gretchen are quite different, but they do have chemistry. I’m a wimp with steam so I thought this was a bit much for me, but I don’t think it will be a problem for other more-regular romance readers. The story was a fun premise but I did think that there was a certain something lacking to keep me fully engaged. There may have been a few too many things going on in the subplots to keep the main plot moving along.

Overall a fun and cute read with a great ghostly character and a strong central couple!

📣 Sarah Adler is so funny—I could feel the smile on my face reading this one!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 if you could name a goat right now, what would you name it? Right off the top of my head, I’m thinking Kit or Edie or Flora or any of the other cute 1920s and 30s names that my husband would have never agreed to name our human children 🤣.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler had me grinning like a lovestruck fool—I love Sarah Adler’s imagination & the sparks of humor that fly everywhere but don’t overbalance the heart of the narrative.

This book is made funnier by the presence of a ghost who died in the 1920s & a narrator—our heroine, Gretchen—who sees the world & the people in it in a way that riveted.

The chemistry between Bullshit Artist Gretchen & “nice guy” Charlie Waybill is gooood & something that my “good girl” fans will appreciate.

On the whole, Happy Medium is winsome & funny & emotionally sharp, & I had such a good time. It was just shy of 5 ⭐️ for me bc some of the aspects of the story don’t quite feel as complete or smooth as I would like—but this book is a delight & a joy.

4.5 ⭐️. Out 04/30.

CWs: grief, memory loss, parental abandonment & estrangement, death, curse.

[ID: Jess’s hand holds the ebook in front of a blooming dogwood tree.]

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler is a paranormal romantic comedy novel. The story in Happy Medium is one of an enemies to lovers romance with a fake medium falling for a skeptical man with a little help from a hundred year old ghost.

Gretchen Acorn was pretty much raised to be a grifter spending her life conning unsuspecting people. Gretchen’s father had taught her the ropes but when he took things a little too far for Gretchen she struck out on her own building up her “fake” medium business.

Gretchen didn’t want to hurt anyone with her con but she still needed to survive the only way she knew how. When Gretchen is approached to “cleanse” a property of it’s spirits how can she say no? After arriving at Charlie Waybill’s property though he quickly runs her off seeing her as the fake she actually is but as Gretchen starts to leave she runs into Everett, an actual ghost, who begs for Gretchen’s help to save Charlie’s life.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler was a fun story mixing a rom-com with the paranormal of a very pushy ghost. The characters were likable, even Mr. Grumpy himself in Charlie who was quick to push away help but also quick to offer it when Gretchen needed it. My one complaint with this one that brought my rating down from a solid four star fun read to only three and a half stars was that the story did drag here and there and seemed it could have been edited down a bit more with this being a really lengthy read when otherwise it was a really enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored Mrs. Nash’s Ashes so this was a highly anticipated read for me.

It took me a little while to get into the story but once I started the audiobook, I was hooked!

Gretchen is a fake medium sent to help Charlie break his farm’s curse. Charlie doesn’t believe her and spots her for who she truly is right away. Everything changes when it turns out she can see and talk to ghosts. She runs into Everett and he tells her the farm is cursed and Charlie will die if he leaves. Gretchen concocts a plan to help out on the farm and convince Charlie of the truth.

I loved so much about this one. Charlie didn’t believe she was a medium but he was such a wonderful man. Gretchen really softened and came into herself living and working for a month on the farm. The friendship she developed with Everett was sweet and of course who doesn’t love baby goats?

Mara Wilson’s narration was fantastic. I can’t wait for more books from Sarah Adler!

Clever book with a lot of heart and a little twist I didn’t see coming. I really liked Gretchen break the mold of her past and what she expected of herself.

I LOVED Mrs. Nash's Ashes, and struggled to reconcile this was the same author. The main characters had zero chemistry, and their first moment was awkward. They didn't work as a couple. Too many loose ends to enjoy.

The best character was Everett, the ghost!

Thank you, Berkley

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler 💜
Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
416 pages
🗓️ April 30th

🔮 farmer + fake psychic
🐐 ghosts
🔮 close proximity
🐐 dislike to love
🔮 found family
🐐 curse

📌“I’m proud of you and I barely even know you.”“That’s funny. Because it feels like you might know me better than anyone.”

📌“Loving you . . . loving you will always be worth it.”

Okay, hear me out. Fake psychic gets hired to do an exorcism at a farm by a friend of the owner. Only said farmer owner doesn’t believe in any of that and sends her away… in a not very nice manner. As she leaves… she sees… a ghost! A real ghost *cue in freaking out* who asks for her help because that handsome farmer up there is in danger.

Now she just has to convince the non believer that while she is a con artist, she’s actually not lying about the curse. Nor the ghost. 🫣

Oh, and she might have a tiny crush on him. How hard can this be?! 👀

This was seriously fun to read! Even the goats were adorable. But the best part? The ghost. I’m team Ev-deserves-an-happy-ending 😜

What a sweet and unique romance! It had me laughing out loud, but there were also more serious and heartfelt moments too. Charlie was such a sweetheart and was 100% a good egg with a runny yolk (doesn’t Sarah Adler describe her hero in the best way?!) All the little ways he showed he cared had me swooning! The progression of his relationship with Gretchen did feel a bit choppy though because of all the “will they, won’t they” build up, but I liked how they truly saw each other - for better or for worse.

The main reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me was the final conflict. It really frustrated me that they didn’t just have an honest conversation with each other. I can see why Gretchen and Charlie might react the way they did given their histories though. The ending brought things full circle and was as cute as it was bittersweet (oh Everett!)

The audiobook was narrated wonderfully by Mara Wilson and it was such a delight to listen to! The variety of voices kept the characters distinct and I loved the different accents and tones used. I hope she narrates all of Sarah Adler’s books!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: cons/history of deceiving others, parental abandonment & estrangement, memory loss, death of loved one, grief, financial concerns, death/ghost, curse

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

I never realized how badly I needed a slow-burn romance where our heroine, Gretchen, is a con artist medium, and of course she’s going to fall for this sweet (but tattooed) farmer, Charlie. Add in a real ghost, and we have the beginnings of a story that more than lives up to its extremely tempting pitch! I would describe this book as chaotic and whimsical in such a fun way, without any of the fun tidbits (like our ghost loving television of all things) taking away from the strong bonds being developed. This is both a solid ghost story and a romance that will have you rooting for the MCs. A touch of heart and a touch cozy, I highly recommend this— it’s enough to make me want to read more from this author! Seriously, who among us doesn’t need this sort of humor in our lives?! Go pick this up!

I really liked this book! I went in totally blind and found it a lot of fun. I would just have appreciated a little more conflict before the end.

"I Ain't Afraid of No Goats." After reading the author's note and learning that this was a possible title for this romance novel, I have entered a period of mourning. I lament the fact that this excellent title was not used and hence forth, I will only refer to this book by the better title.

Following a flim-flam woman and a skeptic on a goat farm with a real ghost and a real curse, this hilarious romance is perfect for anyone looking for some hilarity and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC.

Happy Medium is a fun and quirky romance following Gretchen, a fake medium hired to exorcise a ghost from a goat farm, and Charlie, the grumpy farm owner who wants Gretchen and her obvious scam nowhere near him. Content to take the money and leave, Gretchen is shocked to her core when she learns the property is indeed haunted and she can talk to the ghost. The story is full of charm and so much fun happenings around the farm. I loved how Gretchen and Charlie slowly became friends and tried to understand one another before getting into a relationship. The deep moments contrasted so perfectly to the whimsy brought about by their ever flowing banter and the humourous and endearing ghost. This enchantingly sweet romance will absolutely not be my last from Sarah Adler and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Read If You Like:
🔮Forced Proximity🔮
🔮A Tattooed and Bearded MC🔮
🔮Slow Burn🔮
🔮Small Town Romance🔮
🔮So Much Banter🔮
🔮Enemies to Lovers🔮
🔮Baby Goats🔮
🔮Hurt and Comfort🔮
🔮A Chaotic and Friendly Ghost🔮
🔮Opposites Attract🔮

Unfortunately I DNF'd this at 40%. I struggled to connect to the characters and found the FMC to be particularly annoying. Like, she was a fraud swindling people out of money, and she was surprised AND offended that she was accused of being a fraud and swindling people? Accountability, please.

2.5, rounded up. I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't for me. It felt a lot like a tweaked version of Ghosts (US) with a lot more lying and lust. I really liked the goat farm setting, but both characters felt so unlikeable for me that it was hard to root for their HEA. I also feel like things with her dad were left unresolved (but I also skimmed a few chapters towards the end so that could be part of it).

*strong language throughout. 1+ open door scenes, and lots of lusty thoughts throughout

Thank you to Berkley Pub for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

A Conman’s daughter ✨Gretchen✨turned con artist spirit medium finds herself with a large cash payout to investigate goat farmer ✨Charlie’s✨ farm and why it won’t sell… leading her to confront a “real” life ghost ✨Everett✨ and to convince Charlie not to seek due to the family curse.

I LOVED Sarah Adler’s debut Mrs. Nash’s Ashes and was so excited to get an early copy of Happy Medium. This story is truly something special… a paranormal… goat farm… enemies to lovers… a hilarious TV loving ghost with friendship, family and heart at its core.

Everett and the friendship with Gretchen was the star of the show for me. The whole thing felt like a warm hug.

Thank you Berkley & PRHAudio
Releases 4/30

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This books was so cute and fun! I devoured it on a recent plane ride and it was the perfect way to pass the time. I loved the whole concept of this book, and I did not expect the ghost to become my favorite character, but here we are! I also loved watching the relationship between our two leads develop. Sarah nailed it again!

Gretchen Acorn makes her living as a fake medium. She really justifies it by doing something good for the person, giving them comfort and peace. When her most prominent client comes to her with 10K to help a friend with an exorcism on his property he is trying to sell, she can’t say no.

What happens when someone claims to see ghosts suddenly CAN see one? Gretchen meets Everett Waybill as she is trying to leave, getting turned away by young (she was next expecting that) Charlie Waybill. Everett tells her that he is stuck on the property because he tried to sell it and if Charlie sells it, his fate will be the same.

Gretchen has to find a way to keep Charlie from selling and get him to believe her about Everett.

Everett is quite the scene stealer in this book. He is witty, charming and adorable. His relationship with Gretchen is one of the best parts about this book. Charlie Waybill is great, too. He is sweet and genuine. He really cares for the goat farm and his grandparents that owned it. He’s a keeper.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read this if you like:
•forearms
•tattoos
•gray sweatpants
•humor
•forced proximity
•slow burn
•grumpy/sunshine

Everett was such a friendly fun ghost. I loved his meddling. Charlie was so grumpy but I couldn’t help but love him, especially as he began to open up. Gretchen had such great ideas for the farm too. So many swoony moments.

Thank you Berkley for the eARC!